| [an error occurred while processing this directive] | Berean Study Bible |
| 1[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 1Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honor in abundance, and he allied himself with Ahab by marriage. |
| 2[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 2And some years later he went down to visit Ahab in Samaria, where Ahab sacrificed many sheep and cattle for him and the people with him, and urged him to march up to Ramoth-gilead. |
| 3[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 3Ahab king of Israel asked Jehoshaphat king of Judah, “Will you go with me against Ramoth-gilead?” And Jehoshaphat replied, “I am like you, and my people are your people; we will join you in the war.” |
| 4[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 4But Jehoshaphat also said to the king of Israel, “Please inquire first for the word of the LORD.” |
| 5[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 5So the king of Israel assembled the prophets, four hundred men, and asked them, “Should we go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should we refrain?” “Go up,” they replied, “and God will deliver it into the hand of the king.” |
| 6[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 6But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there not still a prophet of the LORD here of whom we can inquire?” |
| 7[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 7The king of Israel answered, “There is still one man who can ask the LORD, but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good for me, but only bad. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.” “The king should not say that!” Jehoshaphat replied. |
| 8[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 8So the king of Israel called one of his officials and said, “Bring Micaiah son of Imlah at once.” |
| 9[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 9Dressed in royal attire, the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah were sitting on their thrones at the threshing floor by the entrance of the gate of Samaria, with all the prophets prophesying before them. |
| 10[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 10Now Zedekiah son of Chenaanah had made for himself iron horns and declared, “This is what the LORD says: ‘With these you shall gore the Arameans until they are finished off.’ ” |
| 11[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 11And all the prophets were prophesying the same, saying, “Go up to Ramoth-gilead and prosper, for the LORD will deliver it into the hand of the king.” |
| 12[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 12Then the messenger who had gone to call Micaiah instructed him, “Behold, with one accord the words of the prophets are favorable to the king. So please let your words be like theirs, and speak favorably.” |
| 13[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 13But Micaiah said, “As surely as the LORD lives, I will speak whatever my God tells me.” |
| 14[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 14When Micaiah arrived, the king asked him, “Micaiah, should we go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should we refrain?” “Go up and triumph,” Micaiah replied, “for they will be given into your hand.” |
| 15[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 15But the king said to him, “How many times must I make you swear not to tell me anything but the truth in the name of the LORD?” |
| 16[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 16So Micaiah declared: “I saw all Israel scattered on the hills like sheep without a shepherd. And the LORD said, ‘These people have no master; let each one return home in peace.’ ” |
| 17[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 17Then the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you that he never prophesies good for me, but only bad?” |
| 18[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 18Micaiah continued, “Therefore hear the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing on His right and on His left. |
| 19[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 19And the LORD said, ‘Who will entice Ahab king of Israel to march up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ And one suggested this, and another that. |
| 20[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 20Then a spirit came forward, stood before the LORD, and said, ‘I will entice him.’ ‘By what means?’ asked the LORD. |
| 21[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 21And he replied, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouths of all his prophets.’ ‘You will surely entice him and prevail,’ said the LORD. ‘Go and do it.’ |
| 22[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 22So you see, the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouths of these prophets of yours, and the LORD has pronounced disaster against you.” |
| 23[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 23Then Zedekiah son of Chenaanah went up, struck Micaiah in the face, and demanded, “Which way did the Spirit of the LORD go when He departed from me to speak with you?” |
| 24[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 24Micaiah replied, “You will soon see, on that day when you go and hide in an inner room.” |
| 25[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 25And the king of Israel declared, “Take Micaiah and return him to Amon the governor of the city and to Joash the king’s son, |
| 26[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 26and tell them that this is what the king says: ‘Put this man in prison and feed him only bread and water until I return safely.’ ” |
| 27[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 27But Micaiah replied, “If you ever return safely, the LORD has not spoken through me.” Then he added, “Take heed, all you people!” |
| 28[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 28So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead. |
| 29[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 29And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and go into battle, but you wear your royal robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into battle. |
| 30[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 30Now the king of Aram had ordered his chariot commanders, “Do not fight with anyone, small or great, except the king of Israel.” |
| 31[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 31When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they said, “This is the king of Israel!” So they turned to fight against him, but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD helped him. God drew them away from him. |
| 32[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 32And when the chariot commanders saw that he was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him. |
| 33[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 33However, a certain man drew his bow without taking special aim, and he struck the king of Israel between the joints of his armor. So the king said to his charioteer, “Turn around and take me out of the battle, for I am badly wounded!” |
| 34[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 34The battle raged throughout that day, and the king of Israel propped himself up in his chariot facing the Arameans until evening. And at sunset he died. |
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